1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention is in the area of computer input devices, including video game controllers.
2. Related Art
As the market for and variety of video games has increased, so has the demand for video game controllers. Early controllers were typically trackballs in a fixed mount thus requiring the user or game player to remain fairly stationary while playing the video game. Seeking to give the game player more freedom of movement as well as a greater range of video game input control, still later controllers were handheld and incorporated accelerometers to determine controller movement. Other, external detectors have also been used to detect controller movement. Such external detectors include ultrasound and optical mechanisms that attempt to track movement of a controller in a field of view.
A more advanced form of controller known in the art utilizes magnetic fields. Magnetic coils in these controllers detect the presence of a magnetic field to determine position and orientation of the controller. Although very precise, such magnetic field controllers typically require close proximity with the source of the magnetic field and a hardwired connection between the magnetic field source and the controller. Further, the complex calculations required for the controller to determine its position and orientation from the detected magnetic field typically requires significant processing within the controller.
It is, however, desirable to have a physically small wireless magnetic video game controller.